Berry Reinflation

Berry Reinflation.

Christen smiled as she strolled into her boss’s office. “Well, I did it. I beat the blueberry curse.” She spun around. “I am as fit as a fiddle.”

Paxton crossed his arms. “Well, you do look a bit more normal. But I would like a bit more proof than what I am seeing.”

“What do you mean?”

He stood up. “Strip down.”

Christen’s cheeks turned bright red. “What!”

“You heard me. I need to make sure you are not hiding any blue skin.” He tapped his gloved fingers on the side of his desk. “You still want to work here, right?”

“I don’t know. This is starting to border on sexual harassment Paxton.”

He snorted. “I don’t think it’s absurd to examine my workers for blue skin. If it makes you feel better, I can leave the room, and you can take pictures. But either way, I need to know that you are not hiding a nasty surprise that will swell out of control later.” Paxton narrowed his eyes. “I tried that a few months ago with you, and we had both you and a customer turn into blueberries.”

“I didn’t know that would happen. I told you.”

He walked around the side of his wooden desk. “Well, if you want your job, you know what you have to do. I will give you fifteen minutes to make a decision.” He walked to the door as he adjusted his suit. “I have to leave as it is for a business conference. Talking about expanding the store to a new city.” He shivered as he realized what he had just said. “I mean, I am going to talk about opening a new store. I am not expanding this franchise like a blueberry. That is just. . . ughh.” He walked out of the room. “Just get me those pics and soon. And please don’t be a blueberry.”

Christen snorted as the door slammed in her face. “This isn’t exactly what I wanted to come back to.” She shook her head. “Why do I have to work for such a creep? Ughhh.”

She picked up the pen holder on Paxton’s desk. “You know what? Screw this. I am not going to indulge his weird interests. The only people who would dare see such things are my doctors.” She shivered. “It was bad enough those scientists had to see me all blue and such. Juice squirting out of my nipples. Ughhh.”

Paxton was waiting for her on the other side of the doorway. “Do you have the photos?”

Christen chucked the pen holder at his face. “If my word isn’t good enough for you, then you can go to hell. I am not striping down for you, and I am especially not taking naked pictures of myself.”

He formed his hands into fists. “Hey, watch it. Don’t make me file an assault complaint.”

She stormed towards the front door of the restaurant. “Do it, I dare you. I am sure they would love to hear how you told an employee to strip down naked for you.” The customer’s eyes widened, and one young lady ran for the door. “Enjoy the rest of your day Paxton. I quit!”

“Hey.” As Christen rushed out into the freezing weather, Paxton called after her. “Get back here and tell these people that I was just joking. Christen. Christen!”

She rolled her eyes as she hurried down the street, tightening her jacket around her. “Phew, it is freezing. One thing I missed was not having to worry about the weather due to my blueberry body. Ugohhh.” As she closed her eyes, her frosty breath escaped her lips. “I need to rush home and figure out what I am going to do now that I just quit my job. Ughhh, I can’t believe I did that.” She moaned. “But at least I think getting a new one won’t be that bad. I mean, I am one of the few people who isn’t a big blueberry, right?” She slowly laughed as she rushed through the gently falling snow.

***

Larry sighed as he watched Christen walk down the street. “I do not feel right about this.” He clutched the clear tube in his hand. “I should have never let Red back my work. Yes, it would have taken longer to help these poor people, but I would have had to help a madman turn people into blueberries for profit.” He closed his eyes and raised the tube to his lips. “I am so sorry. I wish we could have left things be at the cure.”

***

“Owwww!” Christen rubbed her neck, feeling a strange bump. “What the hell? Oww.”

She pulled out a small needle. “What is this thing? Ughh.” As she scanned her surroundings, Christen rubbed the side of her neck. “Hey. I know there is someone out there. I don’t enjoy people playing pranks. Come out here. Now!” She sighed. “This isn’t funny.”

Only the howling wind answered her call. After a few moments, she threw the strange dart to the ground. “Ugh, screw this nonsense. I have places to be.” She hurried down the sidewalk. “Like finding a new job. I wonder what kind of work I could get. Maybe I could finally find something in game design. Oh, how lovely that could—

“Hey! You don’t seem to be infected by the blueberry virus.”

Christen turned her head to see someone in a channel five jacket walk up to her. “Umm, yes? What do you want?”

The newsman smiled. “Perfect. After my boss went out sick permanently, I have been looking for someone to replace them all week.” He grabbed her hand. “Do you know how hard that is? The entire town is filled with blueberries.”

“Umm. . .”

“You are my savior.” He shook her arms. “My savior I say. Oh, such a joyous day.”

Christen pulled away. “Can you please tell me what is going on? Why am I your savior?”

He sighed. “Oh, sorry. I just thought you would help replace my boss and co-anchor until this blueberry mess is settled.” He sighed. “I shouldn’t have made so much fun of her when she swelled up on the set. If I knew that she was going to. . .” He rubbed his forehead. “I can’t do the news alone. I just can’t.”

“Umm ok. . .” Christen slid her hands into her pockets. “What is your name?”

“Ohh, right. My name.” He opened his mouth and then closed it, narrowing his eyes at Christen. “Wait, how do you not know my name. I am on the news, for god’s sake.”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t really watch the news. I go online to see what is going on in the world.”

He grabbed her by the shoulders. “What? You are the type of person who is attributing to my industry’s decline. That and this blueberry nonsense.”

“Hey!” She tried to worm her way out of his grasp. “I thought you said I was your savior.” She winced. “Can you let go of me? You are crushing me. Oww.”

The strange newsman let go of her. “Sorry. I just am very passionate of my work.” He sighed. “Anyways, my name is Greg.”

“Ok, Greg. Look, I am in look of work.” His face lit up, and he jumped into the air. “But. BUT!” She grabbed onto his blue and gray jacket. “We have to get some things straight if we are going to work together.”

“He smiled. “Oh, sure. Sure. Of course.” Greg quickly nodded his head. “Anything. Anything.”

“You are not ever, ever going to ask me to strip down to show that I am a blueberry. Do you understand?”

Greg raised an eyebrow. “Umm, why would I do that?”

Christen sighed. “No reason. I guess the other thing is this would be a temporary arrangement. I don’t want to work here forever. Just until this blueberry crisis is over.”

He patted her on the back. “Oh, of course. I wouldn’t be bringing in someone with no training like this unless we were not in a crisis. But hey, look around.” He pointed at a building where Christen could see a giant blueberry woman through the window. “We can just turn around and see a blueberry around every corner. So I have to rely on you, and you on me, right.”

“Umm, sure. But if I am that valuable, how do you know anyone will be watching the news?”

Greg laughed. “Because they will be so inflated that they can’t move away from their televisions, that is why. We have a captive audience.” Christen grimaced. “So, meet me at that station in two hours. We will see what you are made of.”

As Greg walked away, she called out. “Hey, how much does this gig pay?”

He laughed. “Well, we will see after your performance tonight, eh? I will give you what you deserve; let me put it that way.” He hummed as he walked down the road.

Christen shivered and shook her head. “Great. I go from one lunatic boss to another. I just hope I can come out tonight with some money to support myself.”

***

Later that day, Christen found herself on the set of the channel five news network. “Wow, this place is fancier on the inside than it looks on television.” She smiled as she looked at all of the pictures of men and women in suits on the walls, crowds of places that Christen had never seen, and strange landscapes. There was even a massive explosion over a blue sea.

“Ahh, there you are.” Greg walked up to her. “Looking over my channels history, are you?”

“I guess.” Christen ran her hand across the blue wallpaper. “There does seem to be an interesting background here. So many fun stories that have been told.”

“Yup. We are the oldest news station in town. In the state, for that matter.” Greg put his hands on his hips. “So many fond memories.” He looked at the picture of him next to a young woman turning into a blueberry in the office. “Even the crazy ones.”

“Umm, what happened there?”

“It’s nothing.” He took the picture off the wall. “Let’s just focus on tonight’s broadcast, shall we?”

Christen laughed. “But I don’t have anything prepared. Maybe I should. . .”

He put his hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry. Just read off what the teleprompter says, and you will be fine. It’s simple, really.” As Greg smiled, Christen could see just how yellow his teeth were. “Now, let’s get out there and bring people the news that they need to get through the day, shall we?”

“Umm, I guess.” Grurrgle.  Christen winced.  What was that?  She rubbed her stomach.  Ugh, I have been so focused on getting a cure for this blueberry nonsense I have forgotten to eat anything. I think my body is trying to tell me something.

“Hey, Greg.”

He adjusted his suit. “Ya?”

“Do you have any snacks? I have completely forgotten to have anything to eat since breakfast.” Gurggglllegge.  She groaned. “And I can’t go on the air like this. I need something, or your replacement will be—

Greg rolled his green eyes. “Ugh, fine.” He pointed at a grey door with a yellow star. “In there. That is my room. You should find some sweets and stuff in there.” He pointed his finger at her. “But stay out of the dresser. You are not to go anywhere near it, you understand.” Christen nodded her head. “Good. I have important stuff in there, and I won’t let a temporary newbie mess it up.” He turned around. “Now hurry up and settle that stomach. We are going on the air soon.”

Christen sighed as she walked into Greg’s dressing room. “Ugh, he is very, very odd.” She closed the door behind her. “Still better than my last boss. I hope his business is taking a dive right now for what he tried to have me do.” Gurgggle. “Ugh, I need some food in me and stat.” She clutched her chest. “Ugh, my chest feels like it is doing jumping jacks.”

She picked up a piece of bread off the table and sighed. “Well, I hope that this will help.” As she raised the bread to her lips, Christen gasped. “Oh my god!” She suddenly dropped the food to the ground and spread her fingers apart. “It can’t be. It just can’t.” She held her right hand up to her face as she watched her hand slowly turn blue. “Not again. I was cured. I was cured!” Gurrggglle!

Christen winced as she felt her belly vibrate, and she could feel juice press against her skin. “No, no, no. I was ready for this to end.” She ran her blue fingers through her hair. “I am done being a blueberry. Done, I say.”

She turned her head as there was a knock at the door. “Umm, Christen? Greg is ready for you. So can you please come with me?”

Christen looked in the mirror, her eyes widening as she saw her blue face. “I can’t come out.”

“He said you have to. And if you won’t, I will drag you out.”

Her cheeks turned purple. “Umm, no. I won’t have that.” Christen ran over to the door. “I will come out when I am good and ready.”

“Hey.” The man on the other side groaned. “Greg doesn’t like people in his room. Be reasonable here. What the hell did you prop up against the door, lady?”

“I. . .” Gruggle. She winced as her belly swelled outward, stretching her blouse and jeans. “I need a few more minutes, ok.”

“You don’t have a few more minutes. We go on the air in two. Now get out here.” The door flung open, and Christen fell down onto her chest, bouncing up and down on her swelling belly. “Now get up and. . .” The man gasped as he saw her blue arms. “Oh no. No, no, no!”

Christen stood up. “I can explain.”

He took a few steps back. “We have a blueberry.” He raised his voice. “We have a blueberry on the set!” He turned around and ran, throwing the papers in his hands into the air.

Christen made her way to her feet as her blouse traveled up her expanding waistline. “This isn’t going well at all.” She scratched at her ass, feeling the fluid flow inside her rear end only held back by the fabric of her jeans. “I need to sneak out of here before. . .”

“What!” She winced at the sound of Greg’s voice. “She is turning what?”

“Well, I will just make my way out now.” Flumppp.  Her pants ripped as her ass swelled. “Ugh, and I thought I could finally wear my normal clothing.” She slapped her butt, causing her rear end to jiggle.

Greg rushed into the room just as Christen reached the door. “You. Stop.”

“Huh?” Just as Christen put her juice-filled hand on the door handle, Greg rushed over and grabbed her by her swollen hips. He thrust her around, so she was facing him directly; the sudden movement caused the front of her jeans to rip apart and a button bursting off her blouse. “I am sorry about this. I didn’t think I could swell up like this. I was supposed to have been cured.”

Greg crossed his arms. “Ya, ya, ya. It is a travesty that you are swelling up, my dear.” He slapped her on the side, causing her entire body to jiggle. “But you can’t run out now.”

“What? I am turning into a blueberry. I can’t stay here.”

He grabbed her juice-filled cheek. “Think of the ratings we could get. You are not going anywhere, my dear.” He smiled. “So, let’s get you into that newsroom for the entire town to see.”

Christen gulped. “Maybe I should have taken my chances with my old boss after all.”